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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22559788">Petals and Flower stems</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astra_Dark/pseuds/Astra_Dark'>Astra_Dark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Fluff, Fire Emblem: Awakening Spoilers, Flashbacks, Flower Crowns, Gen, I love Odin and Ophelia so much ;w;, Kinda, Odin is such a good dad, Zine: Scion of Legend - A Fire Emblem fan zine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:23:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,473</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22559788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astra_Dark/pseuds/Astra_Dark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Of course I will, my dearest.  But first, what is all this?” Odin asked as he looked down at the mess at their feet.</p>
<p>Ophelia frowned.  “I was trying to make a crown like the ones the girls in town wear,” she said, kicking at the broken flowers before her. “But I wasn’t doing a very good job.”</p>
<p>Odin kneeled down to her level.  “Lady Fate has smiled down upon you, my daughter,” he said, tapping a finger to the tip of her nose, “for your father knows how to make those very crowns.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Petals and Flower stems</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my finished piece for Scion of Legend - A Fire Emblem fan zine for best boy, Odin Dark!</p>
<p>It was such an honor to write for this zine!</p>
<p>Hope y’all enjoy~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Odin hoisted his bag higher on his shoulder as he took a deep breath of fresh spring air. The last mission Lord Leo had given him was a long one, so long he thought he would never see the now familiar Deeprealm again. Birds chirped merrily as they flew from tree to tree around him as he entered town.  Villagers shopped at stalls selling fruit and chatted with their neighbors, and some greeted him with friendly smiles, which he returned with a wave as he followed the worn cobblestone. </p>
<p>He walked until the stone path slowly became dirt, the houses became fewer and farther between, and the sun hung high in the sky.  As he crested the last hill, the valley where they made their home came into view. A small forest of trees dotted the fields of tall grass as far as the eye could see, and the stream that ran between them looked like a silver ribbon from where Odin stood. And at the center of it, was their cabin. It was small—barely big enough for three rooms—but in Odin’s eyes, it was more beautiful than any castle he had ever seen.</p>
<p><i>I’m home</i>. Odin hadn’t realized just how much he missed the cabin until he found himself running the last few yards to their front door. <i>I’m home</i>. His feet barely had hit the porch before he threw open the door and called inside, “I’m home!”  But it wasn’t his daughter on the other side of the door, it was Evelyn.</p>
<p>The older maid was appointed by Leo to be Ophelia’ nanny when Odin was away on missions. The maid was so startled by his entrance that she let out a scream, dropping the plate she was washing in the process and knocking her gold-rimmed glasses to the floor. </p>
<p>“Mr. Dark.” She clutched her chest as she turned to him, her annoyance clear on her face </p>
<p>Odin winced as he let his bag slump to the floor. “My apologies, Evelyn, I didn’t  mean to startle you.”</p>
<p>“As you should be!” she scooped up her glasses from where they had fallen and wiped them on the hem of her apron. “You almost stopped this old woman’s heart, I’ll have you know!”</p>
<p>Odin crouched and began gathering the shards of the broken plate. As he glanced around the room, he realized his daughter was nowhere to be seen. </p>
<p>“Where’s Ophelia?" he asked.</p>
<p> Evelyn perched her glasses back on her nose.  “She’s outside playing in the fields.” </p>
<p>Odin glanced at the back door before returning to his task. Evelyn watched him pick up three more pieces before she sighed and crouched down beside him, taking the broken plate from his hands. He looked up at her.</p>
<p>“Go play with your daughter, I’ll clean this up.” </p>
<p>“Are you sure? I can—”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes,” she said, waving off his protest. “Now, go have fun, before I change my mind.”</p>
<p>“You have my gratitude, Evelyn!” he called as he headed out the back door. “You’re the best!” </p>
<p>Odin stepped out onto the back porch and shaded his eyes from the midday sun as he looked for a sign of his daughter. A bright dot of yellow on the edge of the forest finally caught his eye.  Odin made his way through the tall grass toward it, and as he drew near, he could see her more clearly.  Ophelia sat with her back against an old oak tree, her concentration locked on something in her lap.</p>
<p>“Ophelia!” Odin called.</p>
<p>“Papa!” Petals and leaves rained down off her lap as she leapt to her feet and wrapped her arms around his waist in a crushing hug. </p>
<p>Odin chuckled.  “I missed you so much while I was on my travels,” he said.  He held her away from him.  “You’ve grown a great deal since the last time I saw you.”  She giggled as he ruffled her already messy hair.</p>
<p>“You’ll have to tell me all about it!” she said, beaming up at him.</p>
<p> “Of course I will, my dearest.  But first, what is all this?” Odin asked as he looked down at the mess at their feet.</p>
<p>Ophelia frowned.  “I was trying to make a crown like the ones the girls in town wear,” she said, kicking at the broken flowers before her. “But I wasn’t doing a very good job.”</p>
<p>Odin kneeled down to her level.  “Lady Fate has smiled down upon you, my daughter,” he said, tapping a finger to the tip of her nose, “for your father knows how to make those very crowns.”</p>
<p>Her once sad eyes lit up at his words. “You do?” she gasped.  She bounced up and down. “Please, show me how, Papa, please!” </p>
<p>Odin laughed. “Okay, okay,” he said, taking his daughter’s hand in his.  “But first we must procure some new flowers, come on!” </p>
<p>After a search of the fields and forest, they came back to the oak tree with bundles of rosebuds, daisies, sweet peas and heather in their arms.  Odin sat crossed legged as he demonstrated how to braid the stems together, and as the stems and leaves slipped in and out of his fingers, a memory began to surface in his mind.</p>
<p>He was just a young boy at the time, playing with his cousin and friends in Ylisstol’s castle gardens. </p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Owain ran from flower bed to flower bed, plucking only the best flowers that caught his eye. Petals trailed behind him as he rushed back to where his friends waited on the castle’s stairs. Plopping down on the cobblestones, he set to work weaving the blooms together, his tongue caught between his lips as he focused on his task. Cynthia and Morgan stood on tip-toes to peer over his shoulder but he shooed away their curious gazes.</p>
<p>At last, his work was done.  “Ta-da!” he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet, holding his completed creation high. </p>
<p>“Wow!” Cynthia and Morgan gasped in unison.</p>
<p>“It’s magnificent, Owain,” Lucina added.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Owain said, lifting his hand into one of the poses he had been practicing. “Only the best for the Exalt!” </p>
<p>He gently sat the crown on top of cousin’s blue locks and kneeled before her, Morgan and Cynthia joined him, sitting on their knees on either side of him. “We are but your humble knights o’ lady Exalt,” Owain said as he bowed his head.</p>
<p>Cynthia’s pigtails bounced as she nodded in agreement, and she raised a stick before her.  “Beano the Barbarian Queen’s lance is yours to command, Ma’am!”</p>
<p>“And my tome too!” Morgan added.</p>
<p>Lucina covered her mouth as she chuckled at their display.</p>
<p>“Thank you, kind knights,” Lucina said as she stood and gently took the band of flowers off her head. “But I don’t have to be Exalt every time we play, you know.”  She placed her hand on Owain's shoulder and gave the crown to her cousin. “Here, why don’t you give it a try, Owain?”</p>
<p>“Me?” he said, pointing to himself.</p>
<p>“Yes, you,” Lucina confirmed.  “After all, you could be the Exalt one day if something were to happen to me and father.”</p>
<p>Owain thought it over before pushing the flowers back into her hands. “Nah.  I’m going to be a hero of justice."  He raised his wooden sword high above his head.  “So I’ll just protect you and uncle Chrom instead, Luci!” </p>
<p>“There you are!” called a voice from the top of the stairs.  Owain yelped and hid behind Lucina, hoping to block himself from view.  Lissa held her skirt as she descended the stairs. “Thought you could just skip out on your lessons, eh?” Lucina stepped out of the way as her aunt grabbed Owain’s hand.  “I don’t think so, young man!” </p>
<p>“But mother—!” Owain began to protest.</p>
<p>“Nope, you are going and that's that!” </p>
<p>Owain gave a big sigh as she lead him up the stairs to his awaiting lesson.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>It was only a few short years later that their future was thrown into disarray. Memories of that time floated to the forefront of Odin’s mind: the rise of the Risen, the loss of his uncle, his mother and father's deaths. </p>
<p>“Ta-da!” Ophelia exclaimed as she stretched up and plopped her finished crown on his head. “Now you’re a prince, Papa!” </p>
<p>Odin blinked a moment. When he was younger he hadn’t understood why his parents had done what they’d done, but as he looked into the gray eyes staring back at him, he realized he would do the same in a heartbeat. Odin smiled and placed his own crown on her head.  “Then I suppose that makes you a princess!” Odin stood and twirled Ophelia around in circles. She laughed and the sound of her joy-filled laughter chased away any more thoughts of his ruined future.  For now, he focused only on the present.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Check out my twitter if you wanna- @Astra_Dark</p></blockquote></div></div>
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